2024 NFL Draft Profile: Alabama Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry

BamaCentral is taking a deep dive on each of the Crimson Tide's top football prospects who could be selected April 25–27 in Detroit.

Mar 20, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry runs a drill at / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA

Kool-Aid McKinstry's time in Tuscaloosa was always believed to be cut short as the NFL Draft would come calling early. Ever since earning a starting role as a freshman, McKinstry has been one of the most recognizable faces, and names, on the Alabama defense. He's been projected to be an early NFL Draft pick his whole career, thanks to his early breakout.

NFL Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein wrote: "Three-year starter and former five-star prospect with a quirky name and consistent game. McKinstry is patient and well-groomed in matching the outside release and riding the inside release from press. He’s confident to handle business on an island and is able to stay in phase as the route travels vertically. He’s not overly fast but does play with plus acceleration to close out crossing routes or make aggressive plays on the catch point. As with most college corners, McKinstry will need to transition some of his open-field hand usage into quality footwork to avoid downfield penalties. He’s more aggressive in coverage than he is as a tackler and could find himself forced to prove his toughness in that area. McKinstry is more of a pure cover man than a playmaker, but his poise, intelligence and athleticism should lead him toward becoming a good outside corner with scheme versatility."

Player Info

• Jersey: No. 1

• Position: Cornerback

• DOB: September 30, 2002

• Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

• High School: Pinson Valley

• Recruiting Class: 2021

• Recruiting Rating: Consensus 5-star, No. 18 overall, No. 1 cornerback, No. 1 player in Alabama

Accomplishments 

McKinstry earned a rotational role on the defense during his freshman fall camp in 2021, and by the end of the season had won a starting cornerback spot. He maintained that starting spot for the following two years, while also manning punt return duties as a sophomore and a junior. He recorded 32 tackles this past season and broke up seven passes, while returning 14 punts for 86 yards.

• 2023 First Team All-American (AP, Sporting News, CBS Sports, PFF, Sports Illustrated, USA Today)

• 2023 Second Team All-American (AFCA, Walter Camp, The Athletic)

• 2023 First Team All-SEC (Coaches, AP)

• 2023 Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist

• 2023 Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist

• 2022 First Team All-American (PFF)

• 2022 Second Team All-American (AFCA, Sporting News, CBS Sports)

• 2022 First Team All-SEC (Coaches, AP)

• 2021 All-Freshman SEC Team (Coaches)

NFL Combine/Pro Day

Height: 5-11.5
Weight: 199 pounds
Hand: 8 1/2 inches
Arm: 32 inches

40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds
10-yard split: 1.44 seconds
Vertical jump: 34.5 inches
Broad jump: 10-1

What They're Saying 

"McKinstry grades out as a top-25 prospect and a worthy first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s my CB3 behind his teammate Arnold and Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell and has scheme-versatile starting ability early in his NFL career. McKinstry is the lower-ceiling counterpart to Arnold in Alabama’s secondary, but that’s more a nod to Arnold than it is a knock to McKinstry. McKinstry is still a very good athlete with exceptional explosiveness and fluidity, and his short-area twitch and foot speed serve as central components of his game. In press-man and off-man, McKinstry has the urgent motion to effortlessly match receivers, and he channels that motion through keen spatial efficiency and awareness. He has a natural feel for matching technique and uses his technical discipline and precise, venomous targeted physicality to funnel WRs into corners."

— Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network

Mock Draft 

In NFL Draft Bible's post-free agency mock draft, Kool-Aid McKinstry went in the first round to the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 31 overall pick.

Projection 

Though the general consensus is that McKinstry has a lower ceiling as a prospect compared to his teammate Terrion Arnold, he is still being graded out as a high-level prospect that should be taken during Thursday night's first round of the NFL Draft.


Mid-to-late first round